Taking on Japan's U18 National Team

By Aliyah Bantolina, Hanne Løkkebø Nybø and Kayla Jones

We took the bus to Japan's National Training Center, where we played against the Japanese U18 team. Before the game we gave them Biola T-shirts, and in return we received Japanese pins. We also sang them a song in Japanese that we had learned back on campus. They loved it!

We were all surprised by how physical and fast they played. They were not a very tall team, but they were extremely disciplined. We did not end up winning, but we all walked away feeling like it was something we will remember. After the game, we gave each player a Biola wristband with a Bible verse, 1 John 4:19. Coach Simo spoke about why we are here, Coach Gizzi translated, and the team joined us in prayer.

That afternoon we hosted a clinic for about 23 middle and high school students at Christian Academy Japan. What started as a basketball clinic became an opportunity to build relationships and show these students the love of Christ through a game we all love.

"Let's Speak English" and an American barbecue

By Addison Taylor, Camden Miller and Sienna Capelli

We took the train to Hope Alive Church, met Pastor Heath, and split into groups for a prayer walk around Tokorozawa, stopping to pray for the people of the city. After lunch we grabbed signs for Hope Alive's "Let's Speak English" outreach and headed into the streets to meet people, hand out balloons to children, and invite everyone to the church's American barbecue that evening.

One conversation stood out to me (Camden). I met a woman named Misa, an English teacher. She shared her life story with me, and I shared my testimony with her. Later that evening, she actually came to our barbecue and got to see the church for herself.

At the barbecue, Ella Tatlock and MiaGrace Delahoz shared their testimonies, and one man told them their stories made him want to love God more. One of the biggest highlights was learning that five people who came that night had never been to church or heard the Gospel before.

An Amazing Race, Yoyogi Park, and pickup with new friends

By Ella Tatlock, Emily Cruz and Jaycee Goldsmith

Our coaches surprised us with an Amazing Race through Tokyo. Even when we were exhausted, we stayed together, encouraged each other and kept going. It reminded us how much our team has grown on this trip.

Then we walked to Yoyogi Park to spend time with the homeless community there. We shared lunch, sang "Kimi Wa," and sang it again when they joined in. Kayla Jones and Emily Cruz shared their testimonies, and Camden Miller led a devotional from Psalm 23.

Next came a pop-up clinic, where we invited kids to shooting competitions and scrimmages. Basketball became more than a game. It gave us a way to connect across a language barrier, with countless smiles, high-fives and genuine joy. Missions is not just about what we do, but about the people we get to love along the way.

Praying at Sensō-ji, then the bullet train south

By Danya Dykstra, Makena McLaughlin and MiaGrace Delahoz

We visited Asakusa, known for the Thunder Gate and its massive red lantern, and home to Sensō-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple. After exploring, we split into small groups to pray over the temple grounds and the people there.

On Saturday we rode gondolas up the Hakone Ropeway hoping to see Mount Fuji. It was too cloudy, but we tried the famous black eggs and prayed together over a temple we saw there. Then it was time for the bullet train: about two hours at nearly 200 miles per hour. That night in Osaka we met Japanese missionaries Rachel and Tsubasa, heard testimonies, and sang worship music together.

Worship in two languages, two games, and a riverside baptism

By Alyssa Kubo, Ella Fritts and Laney Grider

We started Sunday at Mustard Seed Church in Osaka, where part of the congregation sang in English and part in Japanese: a beautiful blend where we all felt unified in God. One of the families we met even came to our game that afternoon at Mukogawa Women's University. Afterward we spent time with their team, who loved hearing our testimonies, and we exchanged numbers to keep in touch.

The next morning we walked through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, taking in God's creation. Three of our teammates chose to be baptized, and our team gathered by the river near the forest to worship and pray over each of them. It was such a special and unforgettable moment.

That evening we played Ritsumeikan University, an extremely talented team, then exchanged gifts, sang a Japanese song, ate pizza and shared testimonies together.